Aerate For A Healthy, Green Lawn

Annual aeration increases root strength, improves overall lawn and soil health, and helps with soil compaction. Water, nutrients and oxygen are more readily absorbed in an aerated lawn and the sod is more resistant to disease and harsh conditions.

A healthy, bright green lawn is the goal of any homeowner, and there are several ways to strengthen and revitalize your lawn. Along with an effective maintenance plan, regular aeration provides many health benefits to your sod. Experts agree that yearly aeration is an important element of lawn care.

Grass is only as healthy and strong as its roots, and much care should be taken to improve the depth and vitality of your lawn’s root system. Deep, infrequent watering encourages shallow roots to move downward in search of moisture. Aeration increases the amount of air and water that reach the root system, increasing its vitality and encouraging it to grow deeper and thicker.

During the process, plugs are removed, leaving small holes in the thatch and top layer of soil. These holes allow water to percolate more efficiently through the soil. Because water is absorbed faster and more resourcefully, there is less runoff and waste. In turn, the lawn requires less overall moisture to obtain that lush shade of green.

Aeration also helps to break up excess thatch, which can cause problems with insects and disease. Clay soils, and those that have been compacted during construction or landscaping, often have thick layers of thatch and suffer from subsequent fungal or pest infections. Aerating thins this layer of dead and yellowing grass and subsequently helps to break up these thick soils.

This process increases the surface area available for nutrient uptake. Because it exposes soil, aerating is an effective means of increasing the available nutrients. When fertilizers are applied, more of the beneficial compounds are able to reach the roots of the grass, and less is lost to runoff or ineffective absorption. Fertilizer penetrates the root zone more efficiently in a recently-aerated lawn.

As your turf receives more water and oxygen, it becomes sturdier and more capable of resisting disease and handling stress. Regular aerating increases the likelihood that your grass will be able to withstand hot spells and still come out looking great.

If your lawn needs an overseeding treatment, aeration is a great preparatory step. Soil exposure is the number one factor in determining the success of overseeding, and aeration increases soil exposure. This greatly enhances the likelihood that the newly planted seed will take root and begin to grow.

The many benefits of aerating all add up to a healthier, greener lawn. It is an important annual step in caring for your grass and ensuring that your turf is strong and vigorous. For information regarding lawn aeration in Hampstead, visit this website.